1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to garments, and particularly, to a fashionable nursing garment which permits a mother to nurse her child discreetly.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, nursing garments have failed to sufficiently conceal a woman's breasts or lower torso while she is nursing, or have included too many obvious functional features which detract from the appearance of the garment and make it obvious that the woman is wearing a nursing garment. Additionally, nursing garments have generally been limited to only a few particular styles.
One such style is the slit-type garment. Slits require either cumbersome adjustment of clothing and do not sufficiently cover the wearer's breasts while nursing. Also, a slit does not lend itself to any type of form-fitting design as it must be incorporated into an A-line type loose garment.
Another example of nursing garment is the covering-element type of garment in which patches and flaps are used to cover the wearer's breasts. Patches and flaps, however, are also cumbersome and often require manipulation of connecting elements such as buttons, zippers, or hook and loop fasteners for exposure of the breasts, which takes time to do and can get complicated when the mother is trying to hold onto a hungry baby while undoing the fasteners. Due to their location, the buttons and zippers detract from the appearance of the garment. The flaps are often unsightly, giving the front of the garment a st range appearance, and readily reveal the garment's function, which may be embarrassing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,018, issued Sep. 3, 1991 to Anna M. Costanzo, discloses a camisole embodying brassiere cups joined with a separate stretchable strip laterally placed at the base of brassiere cups and body of the camisole. The camisole combined with brassiere cups can be used to improve the appearance of the wearer and can be worn in place of a plurality of inner garments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,725, issued Oct. 31, 1995 to P. A. Witczak, discloses a garment featuring stretchable, resilient straps and a bodice. The straps are sufficiently resilient and suitably stretchable so that when a women wearing the garment pulls down the bodice, she can expose a breast for nursing and when through, she can return the bodice to its original position covering the breast.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,067, issued Apr. 22, 2003, to J. B. Force, discloses a brassiere garment for use in nursing. The brassiere portion of the garment is provided with cups which can be opened and closed without having to unfasten a brassiere garment from a wearer.
Other patents relating to nursing garments include U.S. Pat. No. 1,664,214, issued Mar. 27, 1928 to I. G. Hudson (inner garment with V-shaped sections detachably secured to the garment); U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,763, issued Jun. 17, 1969 to G. F. Grate (inner garment with self-contained means for exposing one or both breasts for nursing an infant); U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,439, issued Oct. 12, 1971 to P. L. Meyers (gown includes pair of breast-covering panels); U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,593, issued Mar. 20, 1979 to S. D. Timmons (garment with panel hinged at top to cover open breast area); U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,743, issued Jun. 24, 1980 to L. S. Whitcraft (gown with apertures proximate each arm); U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,228, issued Jul. 28, 1981 to D. J. Sulzmann (nursing blouse with openings concealed by overlapping portions of the blouse); U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,699, issued Jul. 16, 1985 to S. D. Hughes (nursing blouse with separable sections to make breast accessible to baby); U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,404, issued Mar. 10, 1987 to S. A. Clark (coordinated slip and bra); U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,813, issued Feb. 2, 1993 to J. E. Booze (nursing garment with pleats); U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,086, issued Mar. 18, 1997 to K. R. Eggen (nursing garment including vest); U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,111, issued Dec. 19, 2000 to S. L. Heroff (women's clothing apparel including a built-in bra); U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,784 Bi, issued Jan. 30, 2001 to J. W. Marley Jr. (knit criss-cross brassiere); U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,719, issued Sep. 4, 2001 to C. A. Vera et al. (combination nightgown and bra); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,805, issued Sep. 3, 2002 to K. Kirkwood (bra shelf and application thereof).
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a nursing garment solving the aforementioned problems is desired.